Zara
I couldn't understand what my Father could want from the shadows. I was already in line for the throne, that much I knew. After his death, I would become queen, whether I wanted it or not. So what was he hoping for when he appealed to the shadows?
"What did my Father ask of you?" I asked the shadow. "What did he pay for?"
The human-shaped shadow tilted its head toward me, and I felt a million cold gazes pierce my skin. The heat that had seared my skin had long since faded in the shadows' presence, allowing me only a few moments of clear thinking.
"He asked for your obedience," the shadows hissed. "From now on, you will not be able to give up your crown. Not even your sister can lift this burden from you. After your death, your firstborn will take your place."
